Gardening: (2016– )

[KennethT]

An urban farmer's work is never done...

[robirdstx]

The ground is so wet from recent rains, I think I am just going to plant these in pots!

 

 

[suzilightning]

I just bought some pea, carrot, morning glory and forget-me-not seeds.   Hopefully they won't die on me.......

 

[HungryChris]

I gave the mixed mesclun and the next wave of basil a chance to get out from under the lights today. The sun is just about right for a little practice session.

HC

[suzilightning]

1 hour ago, HungryChris said:

I gave the mixed mesclun and the next wave of basil a chance to get out from under the lights today. The sun is just about right for a little practice session.

HC

really?!  good on ya......

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

On 1/22/2018 at 5:54 PM, Toliver said:

My brother's Brussels Sprouts were overrun by aphids (in his community garden).

He was able to rescue the plants after a strong watering followed by the application of some sort of oil on the leaves that aphids don't like (under the guidance of the community garden's Master Gardener).

I think that might be neem oil. It's useful against soft-bodied insects, mealybugs, scale, etc. Buy the concentrate--a small amount mixed with water will do the trick and the concentrate lasts a long time. I just dowsed a tomato plant that had a serious white-fly infestation and it dramatically cut down the population. It needs another treatment to keep them from coming back, which they will.

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

[HungryChris]

Happy to see the chives coming up in the barrels I grow herbs in on the deck.

I gave Rosemary and Oracle, the sage, a little time outside in the sun today. Rosemary does pretty well in the western exposure in the house, but Oracle just barely tolerates it. The leaves stay pretty tiny.

HC

 

Edited March 5, 2018 by HungryChris (log)

[rotuts]

@HungryChris

 

so nice to see just before Spring

 

congratulations

 

Ive not nothing 

 

I so have a decent sized curved 'sun space'

 

tile lined

 

that I used to put herbs in and my tomato seedlings

 

then over the winter the WhiteFlies and Bugs shoed up

 

My sister sent me some USArmy non-taxed cigarets

 

and I make Nicotine Tea and tried that

 

as toxic as it can be

 

I gave up

 

glad you did not !

 

Mortadella  [ no pistachios , please } ForeEver !

[robirdstx]

The soil in the raised bed is still too wet to work, although I did manage to use the hoe to scrape off the weeds. So, yesterday everybody got put into pots.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2018 by robirdstx (log)

[heidih]

Our bizarro weather has made a mockery of my parsley efforts. I won't even start on some bug that strips my mint!  I grew up with flat leaf parsley used in copious amounts. In our dialect we call it Gruenzeug which literally translates to "green stuff". This year my seeds barely grew after a lengthy germination period. I caved and bought a plant in a 4" pot for $4- very weak flavor ad not vigorous....

 

So between cloudbursts today I went out to forage some mallow for soup, stopped to admire the youngster nasturtiums (I love leaves, flowers and seeds) when something caught my eye; a healthy very fragrant parsley. It is in a spot where my dad had a plastic tub of parsley years ago. Those mirculous seeds must have responded to the current weather favorably. What a nice surprise

[haresfur]

I have half a wine barrel with parsley that self-seeds. There's bit of ebb-and-flow in the supply but usually more than I need. The only trouble is that it keeps popping up in other pots near by.

[kayb]

Cleaning out the herb bed and seeing who's overwintered well enough to come back, and who'll need replanting. I'm thinking I'm going to use landscape fabric and wood mulch around the plants to keep weeds down in the bed. Herb bed has mint, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, summer savory, tarragon, chervil, two kinds of basil, cilantro and parsley.

 

Ordered seeds yesterday for the remainder of the garden. Going to cut back a bit on tomatoes this year -- Romas for sauce, cherries for canning and salads and munching, heirlooms for eating, Better Boys and Early Girls for canning. May go up a bit on peppers. Have ordered two kinds of cucumbers, zucchini and yellow crookneck squash, leeks, lima and pole beans, sugar snap peas, okra, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, none of the latter three of which I've ever attempted to grow. Along with, of course, the requisite carrots, radishes and lettuce.

 

Good Friday is, after all, only four weeks away. And that's when you're supposed to plant, so the Almanac tells you.

 

[chromedome]

5 hours ago, kayb said:

Good Friday is, after all, only four weeks away. And that's when you're supposed to plant, so the Almanac tells you.

 

LOL In my neck of the woods, it's the May long weekend. 

[HungryChris]

The Whitehouse isn't the only place with a Green Room.

HC

Edited March 5, 2018 by HungryChris (log)

[robirdstx]

I thought it was dead! However, it has survived!

 

 

My Mexican Lime Tree is now a Lime Bush!

 

[Shelby]

Planting Red Pontiac potatoes today.  

 

Question for 'tater planters:  Do you cut your seed potatoes? 

 

It's been a zillion years since I've planted potatoes.  I don't remember what I did last time, but I chose not to this time.  I read that there is no horticultural reason to do so....you do, of course, get more potatoes.  I also read that by cutting they are more susceptible to disease.  

 

Also going to plant the first round of onions.  

 

This is earlier than I usually plant. 

 

This will mean that we get 24' of snow in a few weeks.

[kayb]

I bought an electric tiller last week. Going to see if it will serve to till up the garden; not sure it's heavy-duty enough to do so. I've delayed longer than I should about getting someone in to do it with a bigger machine; I may do that, and then go over it again when I get ready to plant.

 

I have all my seeds. Normally, I'd try to plant on Good Friday, but I may give it a little more time this year, in the event we have a long, chilly spring like we did last year. I will buy herb and tomato plants locally, and possibly some seed potatoes as well, though I have some Yukon Golds that seem to be sprouting away in my pantry as we speak...

[paulraphael]

We grow herbs in our little container garden, and for the last few summers have been happy with everything but the basil. It's mostly had a sharp, thin, not very basily flavor. No idea what variety it is ... we've just been buying seedlings from a local farmer's market.

 

Seems like we need to shop more carefully. What should we look for? Our garden gets maybe 5 hours of sun during the summer months, and we'd like something that isn't too bothered by casual caretaking (read: benign neglect).

[KennethT]

I personally like the "genovese" variety of basil - great, intense basil flavor, large leaves almost the size of my hand.  The one thing about basil is that it's a water hog... as long as you keep it wet, it's fine.

[heidih]

@paulraphael  I had the same disappointment with basil last year with a plant from garden center but it was a mixed 6-pack; more novelty than cooking interest. I have always had success with the potted basil from Trader Joes. My "star" was a plant in the ground against the wall of the house (reflected heat) facing west but with big trees in parkway that blocked much of the sun. It was a freakin giant bush of basil. My Vietnmese friend and her basil loving daughter prctically threw thmselves at it and turned green with envy   

[chromedome]

1 hour ago, paulraphael said:

Our garden gets maybe 5 hours of sun during the summer months, and we'd like something that isn't too bothered by casual caretaking (read: benign neglect).

That's really not basil. It's a bit of a prima donna, and needs loads of water and sunshine. I get 7 hours of sunshine here in mid-summer, but there's no one spot outdoors that it can see all of that sun. Instead, I have it in a corner of my kitchen where it gets pretty much everything from sunrise to sunset (and I can see if it's starting to get dry). 

[paulraphael]

Interesting. Maybe it's not the variety, but inadequate sun? FWIW, the plants thrive. Just not the flavor. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

6 hours ago, paulraphael said:

Interesting. Maybe it's not the variety, but inadequate sun? FWIW, the plants thrive. Just not the flavor. 

 

Yes, I live in the woods, with deciduous trees that put on quite the canopy in summer, when basil would thrive with plenty of sunshine. Even on the deck, basil can't get enough sun here at my home to really develop much flavor. Five hours is too little. The leaves also curl under and don't look right without enough sun. They may be still green, but they just don't look right or taste right. That said, they are still better than dried, because all that lovely basil flavor is lost upon drying.

[paulraphael]

Anyone know if there are any basil varieties that would taste better than others when grown in too little sun?

[heidih]

Well Melissa Clark - a Brooklyn person - always mentions snipping basil from her patio. Couldn't hurt to ask her   She loves big flavors so.....